In supply chain operations, 2D imagers are used to scan barcode identification information, and additionally to record an image of a package as it moves through the supply chain. In current applications, liquid lenses and other auto focus lenses are used to improve end-user experience by improving depth of field of the 2D imagers.
Conventional supply chain control systems do not record the dimensions of a package as the 2D imagers image the barcode.
Liquid lenses, such as Philips' FluidFocus and lenses developed by Varioptic use liquids to create mechanically variable lenses that have electrically controllable focal points and shapes. These liquid lenses, also referred to as electrowetting, use the voltage or current to vary the geometry of the lens, thereby adjusting the focal length as desired.
Another type of liquid lens is a pressure lens. With pressure lenses, a piezoelectric element is used as a pump to either increase or decrease the pressure of a liquid drop acting as a lens. As the pressure is increased, the curvature of the liquid drop increases, while a reduction in pressure causes the liquid drop to flatten. This produces a lens that is very thin yet capable of auto focus and zoom.